Realtor Metamorphosis

[Tab M. Wilcox]

Just got new competition. The guy has changed from the role of realtor to the role of home inspector. He also has sent an email out to several realtors in the area stating that 85% of home inspectors in Arizona are complete idiots and that they cause 100% of the unecessary hassles the realtor experiences in closing their deals. If they choose him he will make sure that he comforts their clients so as not to cause a problem for their deal. He also is offering a money back guarantee with every inspection. If the client is unsatisfied for any reason, they do not have to pay. Why would someone transition from realtor to inspector? I could see the opposite happening. I don't know about the other inspectors in Arizona but I take offense to someone inferring that I am stupid. In my opinon the conditions present and how the realtor(s) react to the conditions cause most of the problems for the closing of the deal. I try to present my inspection findings in a non-alarmist manner, but it is what it is. I can't make a 20 year old air conditioner new! I think there are people in the world that will lodge a complaint (maybe they did'nt like the color of shirt the inspector was wearing) to dodge the inspection fee.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Do you have a copy of that email Tab????

[Emmanuel J. Scanlan]

Originally Posted by Tab M. Wilcox

Just got new competition. The guy has changed from the role of realtor to the role of home inspector. He also has sent an email out to several realtors in the area stating that 85% of home inspectors in Arizona are complete idiots and that they cause 100% of the unecessary hassles the realtor experiences in closing their deals. If they choose him he will make sure that he comforts their clients so as not to cause a problem for their deal. He also is offering a money back guarantee with every inspection. If the client is unsatisfied for any reason, they do not have to pay. Why would someone transition from realtor to inspector? I could see the opposite happening. I don't know about the other inspectors in Arizona but I take offense to someone inferring that I am stupid. In my opinon the conditions present and how the realtor(s) react to the conditions cause most of the problems for the closing of the deal. I try to present my inspection findings in a non-alarmist manner, but it is what it is. I can't make a 20 year old air conditioner new! I think there are people in the world that will lodge a complaint (maybe they did'nt like the color of shirt the inspector was wearing) to dodge the inspection fee.

Tab,

Texas has ethics rules regarding this behavior by licensed Inspectors. If you have a copy of this email from a reputable source, and AZ has ethics rules for licensed individuals, please lodge a complaint with your licensing board. The ethics review may even determine he is violating other provisions.

As for his switching he apparently felt that Inspections would be more lucrative than selling homes. With his past RE contacts, and the attitude you described above, he obviously has an easy in with many RE offices and knows it. Only time will tell how well he succeeds on his current path.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by Tab M. Wilcox

He also is offering a money back guarantee with every inspection. If the client is unsatisfied for any reason, they do not have to pay.

I offer the same guarantee.

As far as his offer to appease the used house salesmen and "protect" their deals, this is not unique to former agents. We have many home inspectors who post here, regularly, who boast the same thing (but try to disguise it with other language).

Sometimes the only people we are really fooling is ourselves when we say we are not affected, but it is to be expected of any person in any business to protect his source of business. An inspector who gets his business from real estate salesmen...whether he admits it or not....will do what he must to keep that source of business productive.

[Tab M. Wilcox]

A realtor friend forwarded the original email to me.

[John McKenna]

The proverbial "brown nose" par excellence.

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

Just how easy is it to switch from Realtor to HI in AZ? So much for licensing raising the bar. He must not be much of a Realtor. Honestly, if I were another Realtor I probably would weigh that heavily in my opinion of this character. He may have done more damage to himself than good. I'm sure there are many good inspectors in AZ and the Realtors worth working with will know that. If he couldn't make it as a Realtor he probably won't make it as a HI either.

[Tab M. Wilcox]

Many of the local realtors know or have worked with him. If I were them I would worry that he might give their client some of his expert real estate knowledge and therfore help kill their deal. On a personal level I worry that he will ruin the whole home inspection process for any buyer that he has contact with.

[wsiegel]

Stupid is as stupid does

[Peter Doane]

Sounds like he is advertising "soft" inspections. He wont last long.